Dundee United toiled to take care of Hamilton Accies at Tannadice, and had to rely on a dramatic injury-time winner from comeback captain Jon Daly.
Scott Robertson couldn’t keep out the former St Johnstone defender’s goal-bound header from underneath the bar.
Paixao claimed he had got the last touch, but it was more likely that it would have to go down as an own goal.
United were finding it hard to get in behind a well-organised Hamilton defence. Russell did just that down the left on 38 minutes, though. From near the byeline he tried to pick out Goodwillie, but Imrie made a timely interception to prevent a certain goal.
They got their reward for their late first-half rally when three minutes from the break the Accies defence failed to deal with a Douglas corner. Goodwillie pounced on the loose ball and lashed it high past Tomas Cerny from around eight yards.
Hamilton were first to threaten after the restart. Just four minutes in Paixao delivered a pinpoint cross from the right for Mickael Antoine-Curier to attack. The former Dundee man barely managed to connect with his header from a great position, however.
The second half was only seven minutes old when Houston made his first substitution, replacing Shala with Buaben.SublimeGoodwillie showed sublime skills to deceive two Hamilton defenders in the box, but his shot didn’t live up to the build-up, and it soared over the bar from an acute angle.
Buaben drilled a 30-yarder on 73 minutes which Cerny finger-tipped over at full stretch.
In between the corner being awarded and taken by Douglas, Daly was brought on and the skipper nearly scored with his first touch, a glancing header that shaved the post.
There was a let off for United and Timothy van der Meulen on 79 minutes when the Dutchman clumsily brought down Imrie.
A free-kick was given, but if the incident took place outside the box it was only by centimetres.
Routledge had a 90th minute chance to snatch a winner but missed the top right-hand corner by a yard with a side-footed effort from 12 yards.
There was life in the match yet, as two minutes into injury time Goodwillie slipped the ball through to Daly and he cooly slotted it past Cerny for the late, late winner.
McDonald was the only man to be booked.
Attendance 5766
Dundee United Pernis, Dillon, Scott Robertson (Daly 74), David Robertson, Gomis (Swanson 70), Douglas, Shala (Buaben 52), van der Meulen, Watson, Goodwillie, Russell. Subs not used-Banks, Kovacevic, Allan, Armstrong.
Hamilton Accies Cerny, Imrie, McDonald, McAlister, Carrington (Neil 58), Crawford (Hopkirk 90), Flavio Paixao, Routledge, Elebert, Mensing, Antoine-Curier (Skelton 72). Subs not used-Murdoch, Graham, Gillespie, Hasselbaink.
Referee Willie Collum.
It looked as if the Tangerines would have to settle for a second share of the spoils in a fortnight with the SPL’s basement boys, but Daly who has recovered from a hernia operation four weeks ahead of schedule came off the bench to make a timely intervention and secure a third United win in a row.
“That’s Jonny Daly for you,” manager Peter Houston said. “He was only operated on two weeks ago and the guy who performed the operation said he was good to go. We thought we could get 20 minutes out of Jon and it worked out for him and us.”
The first two goals of the night both came in the opening period. Accies had taken the lead through a Scott Robertson own goal that was cancelled out by a David Goodwillie strike just before the break.
Houston admitted he thought the game would peter out to a draw.
He said, “I’ll be honest, I didn’t see a winner coming. Hamilton were sharper and slicker than us in the first half but we improved in the second. I’m not going to claim we were great, but the three points were the most important thing.”
Hamilton boss Billy Reid said, “We’ve lost to a killer punch numerous times this season. It was a real kick in the teeth because the way we played we more than merited a point.”
Houston was true to his pre-match word and made three changes to Monday night’s team that saw off Aberdeen, with Andis Shala coming in for his first start of the season, while David Robertson and Johnny Russell were also promoted from the bench.
The trio to make way and be rested ahead of Sunday’s Scottish Cup quarter-final with Motherwell were Craig Conway, Prince Buaben and Danny Swanson.
The match got off to a slow start, and 12 minutes were on the clock before either team mustered a shot.CapitalisedGoodwillie had capitalised on a slip by Jon Routledge and carried the ball into the box. Instead of shooting early, he chose to cut inside and when he eventually let fly his effort was blocked by David Elebert.
A chance at the other end swiftly followed and Dusan Pernis saved a low Gary McDonald shot from just inside the 18-yard line after he had been set up by Flavio Paixao.
Midway through the half Accies came close to breaking the deadlock from an Alister Crawford corner.
Mensing got his head to the inswinger from the far side and the ball flashed across goal. It looked as if Barry Douglas got a touch at the back post to help it past, but referee Willie Collum awarded a goal-kick.
Reid’s men didn’t have long to wait for their opener, however. It arrived on 26 minutes and it was a corner which again caused the trouble for United. This time Dougie Imrie took a left-footer from in front of the tunnel and Mensing rose highest once more at the back post.
Continued…
It looked as if the Tangerines would have to settle for a second share of the spoils in a fortnight with the SPL’s basement boys, but Daly who has recovered from a hernia operation four weeks ahead of schedule came off the bench to make a timely intervention and secure a third United win in a row.
“That’s Jonny Daly for you,” manager Peter Houston said. “He was only operated on two weeks ago and the guy who performed the operation said he was good to go. We thought we could get 20 minutes out of Jon and it worked out for him and us.”
The first two goals of the night both came in the opening period. Accies had taken the lead through a Scott Robertson own goal that was cancelled out by a David Goodwillie strike just before the break.
Houston admitted he thought the game would peter out to a draw.
He said, “I’ll be honest, I didn’t see a winner coming. Hamilton were sharper and slicker than us in the first half but we improved in the second. I’m not going to claim we were great, but the three points were the most important thing.”
Hamilton boss Billy Reid said, “We’ve lost to a killer punch numerous times this season. It was a real kick in the teeth because the way we played we more than merited a point.”
Houston was true to his pre-match word and made three changes to Monday night’s team that saw off Aberdeen, with Andis Shala coming in for his first start of the season, while David Robertson and Johnny Russell were also promoted from the bench.
The trio to make way and be rested ahead of Sunday’s Scottish Cup quarter-final with Motherwell were Craig Conway, Prince Buaben and Danny Swanson.
The match got off to a slow start, and 12 minutes were on the clock before either team mustered a shot.CapitalisedGoodwillie had capitalised on a slip by Jon Routledge and carried the ball into the box. Instead of shooting early, he chose to cut inside and when he eventually let fly his effort was blocked by David Elebert.
A chance at the other end swiftly followed and Dusan Pernis saved a low Gary McDonald shot from just inside the 18-yard line after he had been set up by Flavio Paixao.
Midway through the half Accies came close to breaking the deadlock from an Alister Crawford corner.
Mensing got his head to the inswinger from the far side and the ball flashed across goal. It looked as if Barry Douglas got a touch at the back post to help it past, but referee Willie Collum awarded a goal-kick.
Reid’s men didn’t have long to wait for their opener, however. It arrived on 26 minutes and it was a corner which again caused the trouble for United. This time Dougie Imrie took a left-footer from in front of the tunnel and Mensing rose highest once more at the back post.
Continued…
It looked as if the Tangerines would have to settle for a second share of the spoils in a fortnight with the SPL’s basement boys, but Daly who has recovered from a hernia operation four weeks ahead of schedule came off the bench to make a timely intervention and secure a third United win in a row.
“That’s Jonny Daly for you,” manager Peter Houston said. “He was only operated on two weeks ago and the guy who performed the operation said he was good to go. We thought we could get 20 minutes out of Jon and it worked out for him and us.”
The first two goals of the night both came in the opening period. Accies had taken the lead through a Scott Robertson own goal that was cancelled out by a David Goodwillie strike just before the break.
Houston admitted he thought the game would peter out to a draw.
He said, “I’ll be honest, I didn’t see a winner coming. Hamilton were sharper and slicker than us in the first half but we improved in the second. I’m not going to claim we were great, but the three points were the most important thing.”
Hamilton boss Billy Reid said, “We’ve lost to a killer punch numerous times this season. It was a real kick in the teeth because the way we played we more than merited a point.”
Houston was true to his pre-match word and made three changes to Monday night’s team that saw off Aberdeen, with Andis Shala coming in for his first start of the season, while David Robertson and Johnny Russell were also promoted from the bench.
The trio to make way and be rested ahead of Sunday’s Scottish Cup quarter-final with Motherwell were Craig Conway, Prince Buaben and Danny Swanson.
The match got off to a slow start, and 12 minutes were on the clock before either team mustered a shot.CapitalisedGoodwillie had capitalised on a slip by Jon Routledge and carried the ball into the box. Instead of shooting early, he chose to cut inside and when he eventually let fly his effort was blocked by David Elebert.
A chance at the other end swiftly followed and Dusan Pernis saved a low Gary McDonald shot from just inside the 18-yard line after he had been set up by Flavio Paixao.
Midway through the half Accies came close to breaking the deadlock from an Alister Crawford corner.
Mensing got his head to the inswinger from the far side and the ball flashed across goal. It looked as if Barry Douglas got a touch at the back post to help it past, but referee Willie Collum awarded a goal-kick.
Reid’s men didn’t have long to wait for their opener, however. It arrived on 26 minutes and it was a corner which again caused the trouble for United. This time Dougie Imrie took a left-footer from in front of the tunnel and Mensing rose highest once more at the back post.
Continued…